Hamilton Herald Masthead

Editorial


Front Page - Friday, August 28, 2020

Best Lawyers in America names 166 Chattanooga attorneys to 2021 list




Best Lawyers in America has named 166 Chattanooga attorneys to the 2021 edition of its report, which recognizes the country’s leading lawyers based on a national peer review survey.

Best Lawyers also named 29 Chattanooga attorneys Lawyers of the Year.

The publication selects lawyers based on voting averages received during the peer review assessments. Best Lawyers selects only one lawyer in each practice area and designated metropolitan area as the Lawyer of the Year.

Best Lawyers recognized the attorneys named to its publication for their professional excellence in 148 practice areas. For the 2021 edition, the publication analyzed 9.4 million votes, which resulted in the inclusion of more than 67,000 lawyers, or approximately 5% of practicing lawyers in the U.S.

Additionally, using data collected during the Best Lawyers research process, 5,791 lawyers received a Lawyer of the Year award based on their high overall feedback within a specific practice area and metropolitan region. Lawyer of the Year recognitions were awarded in 136 practice areas across 184 metropolitan regions.

Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch, the newest award from Best Lawyers, recognized attorneys who are having promising early careers for professional excellence in private practice in the U.S. More than 11,000 lawyers from 2,169 firms were selected for inclusion in the inaugural edition of Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch. Ones to Watch recipients typically have been in practice for five to nine years.

No attorneys paid a fee to be recognized in Best Lawyers.

Lee Ann Adams

Gearhiser, Peters, Elliott & Cannon

Recognized in: Trusts and Estates

Donald Aho

Miller & Martin

Recognized in: Bet-the-Company Litigation; Commercial Litigation; Litigation - Securities

William Aiken

Chambliss Law

Recognized in: Corporate Law; Health Care Law; Mergers and Acquisitions Law

Craig Allen

Spears, Moore, Rebman & Williams

Recognized in: Construction Law; Railroad Law; Transportation Law; Litigation - Construction; Personal Injury Litigation -Defendants; Product Liability Litigation - Defendants

Evan Allison

Miller & Martin

Recognized in: Real Estate Law

Lane Avery

Spears, Moore, Rebman & Williams

Recognized in: Health Care Law

Max Bahner

Chambliss Law

Recognized in: Bet-the-Company Litigation; Commercial Litigation; Litigation - Antitrust; Litigation - First Amendment

Roger Bailey, Jr.

Waller Lansden Dortch & Davis

Recognized in: Mergers and Acquisitions Law

William Barker

Chambliss Law

Recognized in: Arbitration; Mediation

Kenneth Beckman

Baker Donelson

Recognized in: Banking and Finance Law; Corporate Law; Mergers and Acquisitions Law; Public Finance Law; Real Estate Law; Securitization and Structured Finance Law

Richard Bethea

Chambliss Law

Recognized in: Commercial Litigation; Litigation - Intellectual Property;  Litigation - Patent; Product Liability Litigation - Defendants

John Bode

Miller & Martin

Recognized in: Employment Law - Management; Labor Law - Management; Litigation - Labor and Employment

Edward Boehm

Miller & Martin

Recognized in: Antitrust Law

Autumn Boyd

The Law Office of Autumn Witt Boyd

Recognized in: Copyright Law; Litigation - Intellectual Property; Trademark Law

Arthur Brock

Spears, Moore, Rebman & Williams

Recognized in: Medical Malpractice Law - Defendants

Christie Kizer Burbank

Rainey, Kizer, Reviere & Bell

Recognized in: Health Care Law

Harry Burnette

Burnette, Dobson & Pinchak

Recognized in: Employment Law - Individuals; Litigation - Labor and Employment

Douglas Campbell

Campbell & Campbell

Recognized in: Commercial Litigation

Michael Campbell

Campbell & Campbell

Recognized in: Personal

Injury Litigation - Defendants

Paul Campbell III

Campbell & Campbell

Recognized in: Workers’ Compensation Law - Employers

Wade Cannon

Gearhiser, Peters, Elliott & Cannon

Recognized in: Litigation - Real Estate

Alan Cates

Husch Blackwell

Recognized in: Litigation - Trusts and Estates; Nonprofit/Charities Law; Trusts and Estates

Terry Cavett

Spears, Moore, Rebman & Williams

Recognized in: Trusts and Estates

John Chandler, Jr.

The Hamilton Firm

Recognized in: Railroad Law

Dean Clements

Spears, Moore, Rebman & Williams

Recognized in: Medical Malpractice Law - Defendants

William Colvin

Recognized in: Litigation - Construction; Litigation - Insurance

Joe Conner

Baker Donelson

Recognized in: Commercial Litigation; Construction Law; Eminent Domain and Condemnation Law; Energy Law; Litigation - Construction; Litigation - Real Estate

Christopher Crevasse

Miller & Martin

Recognized in: Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law; Employment Law - Management; Litigation - ERISA

J. Wayne Cropp

Baker Donelson

Recognized in: Environmental Law

Richard Crotteau

Miller & Martin

Recognized in: Real Estate Law

Mark Cunningham

Chambliss Law

Recognized in: Health Care Law

John Curtis, Jr.

Spears, Moore, Rebman & Williams

Recognized in: Medical Malpractice Law - Defendants

Robert Dann

Miller & Martin

Recognized in: Real Estate Law

Mark Degler

Miller & Martin

Recognized in: Corporate Law

Roger Dickson

Miller & Martin

Recognized in: Arbitration; Bet-the-Company Litigation; Commercial Litigation; Mediation

Robert Divine

Baker Donelson

Recognized in: Immigration Law

Steven Dobson

Burnette, Dobson & Pinchak

Recognized in: Employment Law - Individuals

C. Douglas Dooley

Leitner, Williams, Dooley & Napolitan

Recognized in: Construction Law; Insurance Law; Litigation - Construction; Litigation - Insurance; Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants

Marcia Meredith Eason

Miller & Martin

Recognized in: Litigation - Banking and Finance; Product Liability Litigation - Defendants

Alan Easterly

Leitner, Williams, Dooley & Napolitan

Recognized in: Insurance Law; Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants; Product Liability Litigation - Defendants; Transportation Law

Kyle Eiselstein

Miller & Martin

Recognized in: Commercial Litigation; Insurance Law; Litigation - Health Care; Litigation - Insurance

Sam Elliott

Gearhiser, Peters, Elliott & Cannon

Recognized in: Bet-the-Company Litigation; Commercial Litigation; Litigation - Labor and Employment; Litigation - Land Use and Zoning; Litigation - Municipal; Municipal Law

James Exum III

Chambliss Law

Recognized in: Insurance Law

Jerrold Farinash

Farinash & Stofan

Recognized in: Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law

Richard Faulkner

Baker Donelson

Recognized in: Real Estate Law

Ronald Feldman

Husch Blackwell

Recognized in: Real Estate Law

Leah Gerbitz

Miller & Martin

Recognized in: Commercial Litigation; Mass Tort Litigation/Class Actions - Defendants; Product Liability Litigation - Defendants

Gary Gerbitz

Miller & Martin

Recognized in: Criminal Defense: General Practice; Criminal Defense: White Collar

Timothy Gibbons

Chambliss Law

Recognized in: Construction Law

Justin Gilbert

Gilbert Law

Recognized in: Employment Law - Individuals

William Godbold III

Leitner, Williams, Dooley & Napolitan

Recognized in: Insurance Law; Medical Malpractice Law - Defendants; Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants

Jim Golden

Scopelitis, Garvin, Light, Hanson & Feary

Recognized in: Transportation Law

Ronald Gorsline

Hudson Cook

Recognized in: Financial Services Regulation Law

Richard Gossett

Baker Donelson

Recognized in: Banking and Finance Law; Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law; Business Organizations; Litigation - Bankruptcy; Litigation - Real Estate

Russell Gray

Baker Donelson

Recognized in: Employment Law - Management; Labor Law - Management; Litigation  - Labor and Employment

James Haley IV

Miller & Martin

Recognized in: Banking and Finance Law; Real Estate Law; Securitization and Structured Finance Law

Doug Hamill

Mikel & Hamill

Recognized in: Litigation - Labor and Employment

R. Alston Hamilton

Miller & Martin

Recognized in: Corporate Law

William Hannah

Evans Harrison Hackett

Recognized in: Litigation - Insurance

John Harrison

Evans Harrison Hackett

Recognized in: Employment Law - Management; Labor Law - Management; Litigation - Labor and Employment

Carl Hartley

Baker Donelson

Recognized in: Corporate Law; Economic Development Law; Litigation and Controversy - Tax; Nonprofit/Charities Law; Tax Law

Marc Harwell

Harwell Law Group

Recognized in: Construction Law; Insurance Law; Transportation Law

Thomas Hayslett III

Miller & Martin

Recognized in: Real Estate Law

Thomas Helton

Baker Donelson

Recognized in: Bet-the-Company Litigation; Commercial Litigation; Litigation - Intellectual Property; Litigation - Patent; Mass Tort Litigation/Class Actions - Defendants; Medical Malpractice Law - Defendants; Product Liability Litigation - Defendants

James Henderson

Husch Blackwell

Recognized in: Real Estate Law

John Henry, Jr.

Miller & Martin

Recognized in: Mergers and Acquisitions Law

Thomas Hickey, Jr.

Spicer Rudstrom

Recognized in: Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants

David Higney

Grant, Konvalinka & Harrison

Recognized in: Energy Regulatory Law; Environmental Law

Rosemarie Hill

Chambliss Law

Recognized in: Commercial Litigation; Litigation - Antitrust; Litigation - Labor and Employment

David Hill

Chambliss Law

Recognized in: Copyright Law; Patent Law; Trademark Law

Cameron Hill, Sr.

Baker Donelson

Recognized in: Construction Law; Litigation - Construction

Frederick Hitchcock

Chambliss Law

Recognized in: Energy Law

Johnny Houston, Jr.

Houston & Alexander

Recognized in: Criminal Defense: General Practice; DUI/DWI Defense

Richard Hudson

Chambliss Law

Recognized in: Real Estate Law

John Huisman

Pierce & Huisman

Recognized in: Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law

Nelson Irvine

Chambliss Law

Recognized in: Corporate Law; Mergers and Acquisitions Law; Nonprofit/Charities Law

Anthony Jackson

Chambliss Law

Recognized in: Litigation - First Amendment

John Jackson

Chambliss Law

Recognized in: Litigation - Intellectual Property

E. Mattias Jannerbo

Miller & Martin

Recognized in: Mergers and Acquisitions Law

Douglas Johnson

Miller & Martin

Recognized in: Copyright Law; Patent Law; Trademark Law

Misty Kelley

Baker Donelson

Recognized in: Eminent Domain and Condemnation Law

Hugh Kendall

The Kendall Law Firm

Recognized in: Trusts and Estates

Steve Keyt

Keyt Law Firm

Recognized in: Insurance Law; Litigation - Insurance

Jennifer Lawrence

Lawrence & Lawrence

Recognized in: Family Law

Chuck Lee

Miller & Martin

Recognized in: Employment Law - Management; Labor Law - Management; Litigation - Labor and Employment

James Levine

Baker Donelson

Recognized in: Business Organizations; Commercial Finance Law

Howard Levine

Miller & Martin

Recognized in: Health Care Law

Robert Lockaby, Jr.

Gearhiser, Peters, Elliott & Cannon

Recognized in: Bet-the-Company Litigation; Commercial Litigation

James Logan, Jr.

Logan Thompson

Recognized in: Criminal Defense: General Practice; Criminal Defense: White Collar

Virginia Love

Baker Donelson

Recognized in: Business Organizations; Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law; Nonprofit/Charities Law; Trusts and Estates

Roy Maddox, Jr.

Spears, Moore, Rebman & Williams

Recognized in: ERISA Law

Richard Marcus

Franklin, Cooper & Marcus

Recognized in: Arbitration; Mediation

Allen McCallie

Miller & Martin

Recognized in: Real Estate Law

W. Scott McGinness, Jr.

Miller & Martin

Recognized in: Corporate Law; Securities/Capital Markets Law

Donna Mikel

Mikel & Hamill

Recognized in: Employment Law - Individuals; Employment Law - Management; Litigation - Labor and Employment

Hugh Moore, Jr.

Chambliss Law

Recognized in: Bet-the-Company Litigation; Commercial Litigation; Litigation - Municipal

Fred Moore

Spears, Moore, Rebman & Williams

Recognized in: Health Care Law

Donald Morton

Miller & Martin

Recognized in: ERISA Law; Trusts and Estates

Ansley Moses

Miller & Martin

Recognized in: Tax Law

Pat Murphy

Waller Lansden Dortch & Davis

Recognized in: Banking and Finance Law; Corporate Law

Gary Napolitan

Leitner, Williams, Dooley & Napolitan

Recognized in: Insurance Law; Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants; Workers’ Compensation Law - Employers

Ward Nelson

Miller & Martin

Recognized in: Health Care Law

Michael Newton

The Newton Firm

Recognized in: Litigation - Insurance; Workers’ Compensation Law - Employers

David Noblit

Leitner, Williams, Dooley & Napolitan

Recognized in: Insurance Law; Mediation; Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants

Harold North, Jr.

Chambliss Law

Recognized in: Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law

Pamela O’Dwyer

Paty, Rymer, Ulin, & Larramore

Recognized in: Railroad Law

Thomas O’Neal

O’Neal & Walker

Recognized in: Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs

Scott Parrish

Miller & Martin

Recognized in: Commercial Litigation; Litigation - Construction

Dana Perry

Chambliss Law

Recognized in: Elder Law; Trusts and Estates

R. Wayne Peters

Gearhiser, Peters, Elliott & Cannon

Recognized in: Litigation - Trusts and Estates; Litigation and Controversy - Tax; Tax Law; Trusts and Estates

William Pickering

Chambliss Law

Recognized in: Employment Law - Management; Labor Law - Management; Litigation - Labor and Employment   

Martin Pierce

Pierce & Huisman

Recognized in: Trusts & Estates Law; Nonprofit/Charities Law; Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law; Business Organizations

Frank Pinchak

Burnette, Dobson & Pinchak

Recognized in: Employment Law - Management; Labor Law - Management

K. Stephen Powers

Baker Donelson

Recognized in: Bet-the-Company Litigation; Commercial Litigation; Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants; Product Liability Litigation - Defendants; Transportation Law

Joshua Powers

Baker Donelson

Recognized in: Litigation - Health Care; Medical Malpractice Law - Defendants

Glenna Ramer

Ramer & Hedrick

Recognized in: Family Law

Mark Ramsey

Spears, Moore, Rebman & Williams

Recognized in: Trusts and Estates

Benjamin Reese

Spears, Moore, Rebman & Williams

Recognized in: Insurance Law

Susan Rich

Baker Donelson

Recognized in: Banking and Finance Law; Real Estate Law; Securitization and Structured Finance Law

Michael Richardson

The Richardson Law Firm

Recognized in: Legal Malpractice Law - Defendants

William Robinson

Baker Donelson

Recognized in: ERISA Law

Richard Rose

Miller & Martin

Recognized in: Health Care Law; Litigation - Construction

Jeffrey Rufolo

Summers, Rufolo & Rodgers

Recognized in: Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs; Workers’ Compensation Law - Claimants

Ross Schram III

Baker Donelson

Recognized in: Real Estate Law

Richard Schulman

Patrick, Beard, Schulman & Jacoway

Recognized in: Product Liability Litigation - Plaintiffs

Hugh Sharber

Miller & Martin

Recognized in: Corporate Law

Patrick Shockey

Husch Blackwell

Recognized in: Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants

Carlos Smith

Miller & Martin

Recognized in: Antitrust Law; Corporate Law; Energy Law; Litigation - Antitrust

Mark Smith

Miller & Martin

Recognized in: Economic Development Law

Alfred Smith, Jr.

Miller & Martin

Recognized in: Public Finance Law

Michael St. Charles

Chambliss Law

Recognized in: Real Estate Law

Steve Stark

Miller & Martin

Recognized in: Litigation - Intellectual Property; Patent Law; Trademark Law

Jerry Summers

Summers, Rufolo & Rodgers

Recognized in: Criminal Defense: General Practice; Criminal Defense: White Collar

Justin Sveadas

Baker Donelson

Recognized in: Litigation - Bankruptcy

W. Gerald Tidwell

Tidwell & Associates

Recognized in: Litigation - Construction

C. Crews Townsend

Miller & Martin

Recognized in: Commercial Litigation; Product Liability Litigation - Defendants

William Trumpeter

Miller & Martin

Recognized in: Arbitration; Employment Law - Management; Labor Law - Management; Litigation - Labor and Employment

Mark Turner

Chambliss Law

Recognized in: Business Organizations; Real Estate Law; Securitization and Structured Finance Law

Randall Van Dolson

Van Dolson Law Firm

Recognized in: Trusts and Estates

Paul Weidlich

Chambliss Law

Recognized in: Patent Law

Philip Whitaker

Baker Donelson

Recognized in: Commercial Litigation; Real Estate Law; Trusts and Estates

Gregory Willett

Chambliss Law

Recognized in: Trusts and Estates

Thomas Williams

Leitner, Williams, Dooley & Napolitan

Recognized in: Insurance Law; Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants

James Williams

Miller & Martin

Recognized in: Mass Tort Litigation/Class Actions - Defendants

Franklin Williams

Miller & Martin

Recognized in: Mergers and Acquisitions Law

Randy Wilson

Miller & Martin

Recognized in: Bet-the-Company Litigation; Commercial Litigation; Litigation - Construction; Medical Malpractice Law - Defendants; Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants

Jay Young

Chambliss Law

Recognized in: Banking and Finance Law; Project Finance Law

Ones to Watch

Stephen Adams

Chambliss Law

Recognized in: Intellectual Property Law; Patent Law

Ariel Anthony

Husch Blackwell

Recognized in: Commercial Litigation; Trusts and Estates

Timothy Ballard

Lawrence & Lawrence

Recognized in: Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs

Terri Daugherty

Leitner, Williams, Dooley & Napolitan

Recognized in: Construction Law; Family Law; Insurance Law

Charles Gilbreath II

Chambliss Law

Recognized in: Labor and Employment Law - Management

Andrew Godbold

Leitner, Williams, Dooley & Napolitan

Recognized in: Construction Law; Insurance Law

Erin Gomez

Carr Allison

Recognized in: Litigation - Labor and Employment; Professional Malpractice Law

Nathan Hertzog

Waller Lansden Dortch & Davis

Recognized in: Venture Capital Law

Caleb Holzaepfel

Husch Blackwell

Recognized in: Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law

Willa Kalaidjian

Chambliss Law

Recognized in: Corporate Law; Venture Capital Law

Meredith Corey Lee

Miller & Martin

Recognized in: Mass Tort Litigation/Class Actions - Defendants

Erno Lindner

Baker Donelson

Recognized in: Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law

Calvin Marshall

Chambliss Law

Recognized in: Corporate Law; Health Care Law

Leah Mitchell McElmoyl

Chambliss Law

Recognized in: Elder Law; Real Estate Law

Sara McManus

Baker Donelson

Recognized in: Tax Law

Martha Culp Millener

Chambliss Law

Recognized in: Real Estate Law

Jed Roebuck

Chambliss Law

Recognized in: Corporate Law; Health Care Law; Mergers and Acquisitions Law

Adam Sanders

Baker Donelson

Recognized in: Eminent Domain and Condemnation Law

Kirby Yost

Chambliss Law

Recognized in: Land Use and Zoning Law; Real Estate Law